


Fireside

by Khadijalkubra



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Beauyasha if you squint, Bittersweet, C2 E115, Caleb Widogast Deserves Nice Things, Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, POV Caleb Widogast, Pining, Pining Caleb Widogast, Self-Esteem, Self-Esteem Issues, Soft Kisses, Sort Of, Widojest - Freeform, Zemnian aka google german, and teensy bit spoilers for, but i had to see that one scene clip because i am widojest trash, but only that one part, fireside, i am a certified simp, i haven’t caught up on episode 115, kind of, mentions of Molly/Nonagon/Mollagon, oofa lotta tags, slight spoilers for C2 E114
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:00:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27475426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khadijalkubra/pseuds/Khadijalkubra
Summary: The Mighty Nein seek shelter during a storm, and Caleb gets cozy with Jester by the fire.
Relationships: Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 14
Kudos: 114
Collections: Post Apocalyptic Babes





	Fireside

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written off a prompt before episode 113, but I’ve adjusted it since watching c2ep114. Admittedly, I haven’t caught up with episode 115 yet, but I did see that one scene because i am widojest trash. If you haven’t seen Episodes 114 or 115, there be some spoiler mentions.  
> Ye hath been warned.
> 
> Anywho, enjoy!

The Mighty Nein had taken shelter from the storm in a nearby cave on the path to their next destination. They’d finally disembarked from their ship about a week ago and had begun the trek to Eiselcross. Fortunately Caleb’s locator spell had come through for them just before the worst of the snow hit. They could dig or magic their way out tomorrow when the storm ended, even if the cave entrance got snowed, but for now they would rest.

Dagen had chosen to make his little corner of camp farther into the cave, and the hardened dwarf guide was snoring away in his wheelchair, flecks of drool freezing in his beard. Still close enough to the Nein if there was any unexpected danger, but not enough to seem part of the group. 

If he hadn’t spent so much energy earlier in the day, Caleb would’ve happily brought them into his Nascent Nein-Sided Tower where they’d be warmer and safer. As is, he didn’t even have much energy for the dome; not that there was space for it in this cave anyway. Caleb pushed down the guilt, recognizing that they were all exhausted. 

At least they were together and safe for now. Beau’s head was cradled in the lap of a lightly snoring Yasha. Fjord, arms crossed and snoring, was slumped against the wall. Veth was using his thigh as a pillow, and Caduceus had just come off watch duty. Jester was huddled by the half-orc with her back turned to Caleb, because of course she’d feel safest near Fjord. As she should. 

Everyone was asleep around the low burning fire they’d made except for Caleb. Frumpkin was curled in his lap, and the wizard stroked his familiar’s soft fur as he watched the flames dance. Even if he hadn’t been on watch, he couldn’t sleep. 

He knew by now he was a glutton for self-flagellation. After telling everything to the rest of the Mighty Nein and his dinner with Ikithon, he was slowly coming to recognize that, yes, he’d been manipulated. But that didn’t absolve him of his sins. That didn’t make the nightmares and memories disappear. They didn’t consume his dreams as often these days. Sometimes, he could actually get a goodnight’s sleep, but other nights like this one...well, he wouldn’t let himself forget. Couldn’t. To forget would mean risking the same mistakes again, and he would not be the death of another family. 

Caleb sighed a bone deep sigh, and pulled his blanket and scarf round himself tighter. 

He twitched at the sounds of someone stirring from inside the cave. They should have been the only ones in there. It was only Jester though, and he relaxed. 

The little blue tiefling sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. He couldn’t tell if she noticed him, but Jester scooted closer to the fire regardless. Caleb’s heart warmed at the way the near smoldering flames painted her blue skin in a golden hue, how they reflected in her purple eyes like dancing lights. She truly was...enchanting. 

But then he realized she was shivering. Surely not from the cold, what with her being resistant and all. Upon closer scrutiny he saw that her eyes were sad. No sign of her usual easy cheer or mischievous glint. Just thoughtful sadness.

A sad Jester was not allowed in his books.

Caleb gentled the orange cat out of his lap and onto Veth’s. Then he stood up and softly padded closer to Jester by the fireside.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Caleb asked in a whisper, carefully moving to sit next to her. 

Jester jumped a bit but smiled when she saw it was only him. “I could ask you the same thing y’know.”

“I’ve got watch duty,” he said shrugging. “Besides, I…”

“...Bad dreams again?” Jester asked with genuine concern. Caleb nodded. He sometimes forgot she was more perceptive than she let on. “I’m sorry you have to deal with that. You don’t deserve it, Caleb.”

 _Don’t I?_ “I’m used to it.” 

They sat in silence. He didn’t want to push just yet. After a few moments, Jester spoke.

“Pretty cold up here, huh?”

“ _Da_ , very bitter. Though I supposed you’re more comfortable than the rest of us.”

“Yeah, but even for me, it’s _pretty_ chilly.”

“Mm. You are looking a tinge more blue than usual.”

“Feeling a bit more blue too…”

Caleb looked at her, brows creased. “Well uh, perhaps you could paint a dick on Dagen’s face while he’s sleeping.” They looked over to the dwarven ranger. His nose popped a bubble before he grumblingly cozied further into his chair, unconsciously clutching his ax. “I wouldn’t have the balls—which are a bit frozen right now—but I won’t stop you.”

She seemed to think about it for a moment, but then half shrugged in her expensive coat. “Eh. Better not. Don’t want to make him mad.”

Jester’s face showed only half the mirth she’d normally have at the prospect of dick graffiti. The tricksy cleric hadn’t even giggled at his ball joke. _Not a good sign_. 

“ _Ja_ , you’re right. Best to keep our guide dick free.”

The fire crackled. The wind howled from outside, and a bitter breeze ghosted through the cave. After a few minutes of not quite awkward but not quite comfortable silence, Caleb wondered if Jester might have fallen asleep. 

“Do…” Jester looked up at him, a worried crease in her brow. “Do you think it was a mistake? Taking this job with Vess DeRogna. Coming up so far north?”

Caleb blew heat into his hands. “It’s what we all agreed upon at the time. True, we’re getting a lot more than we bargained for, but we were bound to come up this way anyway, because of Moll— of Nonagon. Especially after what happened with Vess DeRogna.”

“Yeah...that’s true.”

“...Is that what’s keeping you up?”

“I was just...thinking. About home. About the Traveler. About who I am because of him… and not. …I keep thinking about Molly. Or I guess, _not_ Molly? And what we’re going to do once we’re back in the Empire, _if_ we get back to the Empire, and all of Beau’s theories and—” Jester sighed. “I dunno. It’s a lot.”

Caleb hummed in agreement. He knew how hard this new unknown factor of their (former?) friend was on all of them. With Jester it must’ve been particularly difficult. Of course Yasha had it the worst, having known Mollymauk the longest out of them. But Caleb knew how much the young cleric treasured her friends, and she hadn’t even been able to really say goodbye. Despite the optimistic mask she wore around the others, Caleb knew how much that truly ate at her.

“Do you think we might die up here?” Jester whispered so softly Caleb almost missed it.

He turned to her fully, concern written all over his tired face. He tried to think of the right response. He wasn’t good at pretty lies or hopeful encouragement. She was too smart for that anyway. So he took a breath and carefully formed what he hoped was an honest yet gentle response.

“I... _hope_ that none of use will,” he said, keeping his voice soft. “There is always the possibility of danger, but that’s nothing new to us.”

“I know. And we’re all pretty powerful, but...It’s so easy for people to, like, freeze up here or fall off an icy cliff or get eaten by weird monsters or something and I just—” Jester took a shuddered breath, wiped at the corner of her eye. Caleb could just make out the scraggly crimson fur of Sprinkle within Jester’s hood, nuzzling his owner in his sleep. She gently pet his soft head. “What if I never see Mama again? Or what if one of us, or _all_ of us— I was alone for a really really long time. I almost lost my best friend at Rumble Cusp and I...I don’t want to lose any more people that I love.”

A snowy gust creeped into the cave and Jester shivered, pulling her travel worn cloak around her uselessly. Her tail wrapped around her as she pulled in her knees. It pained Caleb to see the woman he lo— cared for worrying herself to this level of turmoil. Caleb scooted an inch closer. He was no good at words. He was better with actions and gifts, with magic. _That_ was his love language. So, he dug down for whatever scant bit of energy he had left and—even though it was probably a bad idea to be wasting his magic on something like this because they might run into trouble and need spells but it’s Jester so it was worth it—cast dancing lights.

As always, Jester’s eyes sparkled with wonderment at the amber lights. Her natural smile started coming through, and Caleb’s heart fluttered.

“I am tired as hell right now, yet I can still find it in me to cast a spell or two,” he said. “So if I can do this now, when we are safe for the time being, I think I and everyone else here, can find a way to keep fighting and keep each other safe if something were to happen.” He let the spell dissipate and turned his full focus to Jester. He almost couldn’t bear the way she looked back at him. So full of faith in his words and power. “We’ve gotten pretty good by now at getting out of bad scrapes, _ja_? Also, we have Caduceus and we have you. Plus we’ve got Dagen on our side, and he’s managed to survive this place.”

“That’s true,” said Jester.

“And we have the temples you and Caduceus made as backups. True, teleporting is tricky and risky here,but it’s still a last resort option.”

“Also true.”

“But... _if_ things got really bad, I would do whatever it takes to make sure you get back home—that all of us do. I…” Caleb clenched and unclenched his hands. He pictured them turning ashy black and cracking with heat. “I don’t want to lose another family either.”

Jester stared at him, and Caleb had to fight the urge to look away despite the ever reddening blush on his face. _Well at least my nose isn’t cold anymore_. After a few seconds though, Jester hummed thoughtfully and smiled at him. For real this time.

“Thank you, Caleb. That makes me feel a lot better.” If he didn’t know any better, he’d swear she was blushing. _Wishful thinking, Widogast. Probably just the firelight._

“Ah,” Caleb cleared his throat. “You’re welcome. Of course. Anytime. Now, you should probably get some sleep. I believe Yasha and Beau have the next watch.”

“Y’know, I might be able to sleep easier if I was warmer. Maaaaybe you could lend me some of your body heat?” she asked, scooting even closer to him.

Caleb’s face was crimson. His brain short circuited for a second. “I–I uuuuhhh.”

“Not like _that_ , silly.” Jester teased. The fact that she was messing with him was definitely a sign she felt better. “I mean like cuddling up for warmth.”

“I thought you, uh, had resistance. To the cold, I mean.”

“Well yeah, but it’s still _pretty cold_ even for me. Soooo?”

Embarrassed though he was, Caleb couldn’t help but chuckle. She had that effect on him. He hesitated for only a second, then wrapped his arm and the blanket around Jester. She quickly melted into his body.

“Are you warm enough?” Caleb teased. 

Jester’s giggle melted into a cozy hum. “Much better. Thank you, Caleb.”

“Of course. Can’t have you catching cold,” he smirked.

“Because I’m our second best cleric, right?” Jester asked, already dozing off.

“Because you’re you,” he said seriously. “And you are...wonderful.”

She hummed sleepily. “You’re pretty wonderful too.”

Jester turned her head to give him a gentle, almost shy, kiss. She missed his cheek and her lips landed on his neck. It was the softest of touches, yet the spot of his skin felt like it was burning. Caleb couldn’t help holding her a little closer, a little tighter. He even felt so emboldened as to reach up and brush his gloved fingers over her freckled cheek, his touch feather light. Afraid to burn her like he’d done everything else good in his life in the past. He couldn’t help himself from wanting to protect her from everything else in this world, if not from himself. She was more than capable of protecting herself, but he wanted to support her all the same; to make sure she never felt alone again. 

Caleb knew all about fires. Both their blessing and their curse. He understood fire as intimately as his real name, and Jester... her fire was like a hearth. Warm and glowing golden. He felt it when they first danced, over time as they got closer, and even after he read to her the beloved children's book he’d shared with his mother; the last tie to one of his happier memories from the past. The Nein had come to feel like a new family to Caleb, but Jester felt like… home.

It was dangerous to feel this way. Useless. Yet, despite himself…

“Jester?”

“Hmm?” 

Caleb sighed and said in perfect Zemnian, practically choking on the heart in his throat, _“Ich habe mich in dich verliebt.”_

Jester nuzzled closer into him. He could tell from the slow rise and fall of her chest that she was already asleep. She most likely hadn’t heard a word he said, even if he’d used Common. _It’s better this way._ The wizard whispered goodnight to his cleric with a light peck to the top of her head between the horns. 

Caleb looked around at the cave filled with his friends (and Dagen), then back down at Jester. A soft smile rested on the corners of her lips. Even the firelight seemed at peace. He smiled and allowed himself to relax and drift into sleep.

This was enough for him.

**Author's Note:**

> God I’m so soft for these two! ~>///<~
> 
> Many thanks to my beloved beta @Humble-Tortoise. Thank you for the reads and please leave any comments below, and any kudos and bookmarks are appreciated. (the validation fuels us in the void)


End file.
